WINTER IS COMING What advice can you share when it comes to planning our winter wedding? Ultimately, choosing a winter wedding allows you to create a unique and memorable celebration that reflects your love story in a distinctly different way from weddings held during other seasons. Here’s a guide to help you plan an memorable winter wedding! •Send your save-thedates early: Winter is a busy time with holidays, so send your save-thedates well in advance to ensure your guests can plan accordingly. •Embrace the season: Use the winter theme to your advantage. Incorporate seasonal elements like evergreen branches, pinecones and candles into your décor. Consider a colour scheme that complements the winter atmosphere, such as deep burgundy, forest green or icy blue and silver. •Stay warm and cosy: Provide amenities like blankets and warm beverages for your guests. •Dress accordingly: Choose a wedding dress that suits the season. Long sleeves, heavier fabric and faux fur wraps can be both practical and stylish. Don’t forget to pick appropriate footwear! •Plan for an early sunset: The days are shorter in winter, so plan your ceremony and important photographs accordingly to make the most of the natural light. •Insurance: Consider wedding insurance. It can protect your investment in case of extreme weather or unforeseen circumstances. •Plan your honeymoon: Winter is a great time to travel to certain destinations. Consider warm, tropical locations to contrast the winter theme of your wedding. Emmie Ide | Stapleford Park Hotel | https://staplefordpark.com BUDGET FRIENDLY We’re planning our wedding with a small budget; how can we keep the cost down? There are many ways to keep costs minimal when organising your wedding day. Creating that special, memorable day doesn’t need to cost the earth to be stylish! Your standout venue decorations, gorgeous gowns, or guest entertainment can be purchased at lower costs, while still creating that amazing wedding everyone will discuss. Items that may only be used for the event, such as lighting, cutlery, games and props can all be hired to stop you from overspending unnecessarily on pieces. After your big day, hand them back – it’s as easy as that! Why not buy preloved? You can still get that designer wedding dress or those stunning floral bouquets you’ve always wanted if you just know where to look! Online marketplaces such as Sell My Wedding aim to provide a cost-effective, individual buying experience that ultimately results in your dream wedding day. You’ll find everything from the dress, décor, designer and DIY pieces, saving you those all-important pennies! Faye Winn | Sell My Wedding www.sellmywedding.co.uk www.jasonwilliamsphotography.com THE BRIDE TRIBE What advice can you share when it comes to bridal party gifts? Choosing your bridal party is an essential part of your wedding planning, especially as these will be the people who stand beside you on one of the most important days of your life. You could give a gift to ask them to be at your bridal party or show them you appreciate them by saying thank you with a personalised bridesmaid gift. Either way, finding a gift as unique as the people in your party can be tricky! Choosing something personalised with a coin minted in their birth year can be a special and sentimental choice, or why not combine both of your birth years into one beautiful piece that they can cherish for years to come? How much you spend on your bridal gifts depends on various things, like your overall wedding budget, how many people are in your bridal party and the type of gift you want to give. Consider a token gift for large bridal parties to show appreciation while decreasing costs. Alternatively, go all out and get your maid-of-honour, mother-of-the-bride, and bridesmaids an extravagant gift that you could only give at an occasion like a wedding. There aren’t any rules regarding when, how or where you give your bridal party their gifts, but here are some ideas if you’re looking for inspiration. The wedding rehearsal is a great time to give your bridal party gifts, especially as it will be a run-through of the wedding day and will ensure you have enough time to show your appreciation, especially as you’ll be so busy on your wedding day. It’s common to give gifts during speeches. It’s a great way to show how much they mean to you in front of all your family and friends, giving them some of your spotlight. If you’re getting your bridal party together before your wedding day, whether to ask them to be in your wedding party or to pick out dresses, giving your bridal party gifts at the same time can be a lovely addition to your celebrations. Emma Pearson | Heads and Tails Jewellery www.headsandtailsjewellery.co.uk 72
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